Meet the Top 20: The LVMH Prize Announces Its Semifinalists

The shortlist is in. After reviewing 1,300 applications from 90 countries, the in-house committee behind the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers has revealed its selection of semifinalists.

Delphine Arnault, the executive vice president of Louis Vuitton and the founder of the prize, noted that this year’s contenders confirm the traction of streetwear-based and gender-neutral styles.

“Overall, we are intent on introducing as much diversity as possible, whether in terms of category or style,” Arnault offered, noting that creativity, know-how, and quality of craftsmanship were still the prize’s primary criteria. “It’s wonderful to see new countries surface in the fashion game, too, in this case, Norway and Poland—but above all, the prize is about individual talent and creative potential.”

In a shift from last year, women’s fashions returned to claim pride of place: Eight women’s labels made the cut, followed by six menswear contenders, four “unisex” brands, and two brands offering men’s and women’s looks. The list also comes close to gender parity, with 12 women and 14 men.

Three previous finalists are back, too. Two 2017 finalists, Charles Jeffrey Loverboy by Charles Jeffrey (London) and GmbH by Serhat Isik and Benjamin Alexander Huseby (Berlin), are joined by Faustine Steinmetz (London), a finalist in 2015.

Next stop: the Avenue Montaigne. During Paris Fashion Week, all the shortlisters will meet the LVMH Prize’s international experts during a two-day showroom at LVMH headquarters on March 1 and 2. It’s up to that collection of 49 international experts to select eight finalists for consideration by the LVMH in-house jury. The 300,000-euro prize will be awarded at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris in June.